This application pertains to the art of air compressors and, more particularly, to air compressors which are supplied with pressurized air. The invention relates specifically to a diversion valve for blocking communication of the pressurized air supply with the compressor when the compressor is unloaded. It will be recognized that the improved diversion valve of the present application may be used in other environments for other purposes.
For various reasons, air compressors are frequently supplied with pressurized air. For example, air compressors are commonly mounted on vehicles having fuel burning engines for supplying compressed air to the vehicle air brakes and other pneumatically operated devices. In arrangements of this type, the compressor inlet is often connected to the engine air manifold to provide a source of clean filtered air for the compressor. On engines which are supercharged or turbocharged, the air supplied to the compressor from the engine air manifold is superatomospheric and may be as high as 25 psig. Therefore, when the compressor is unloaded, it is still working against this superatmospheric pressure, and this causes excessive wear on the wrist pin and main bearing.
It would be desirable to have an arrangement for relieving the compressor of the superatmospheric pressure when the compressor is unloaded in order to minimize wear on the wrist pin and main bearing.